Consumer and provider attitudes toward dentist and expanded auxiliary functions

Area of Science:

• Dental Public Health
• Dental Professional Education
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Expanded-duty auxiliaries (EDAs) are increasingly integrated into dental practice.
• Understanding public and professional perceptions of EDAs is crucial for successful implementation.
• Varying attitudes may influence acceptance and utilization of EDAs in dental care delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess attitudes of various stakeholders toward expanded-duties auxiliaries in Massachusetts.
• To compare perceptions of dentists, auxiliaries, students, and consumers regarding EDA performance.
• To identify differences in attitudes based on the type of dental procedure performed.

Main Methods:

• Survey of consumers, dentists, dental students, dental assistants, and dental hygienists in Massachusetts.
• Utilized the Osgood semantic differential technique to measure attitudes.
• Presented participants with line drawings of dentists and auxiliaries performing tooth structure cutting, restoration placement, and radiography.

Main Results:

• Most groups perceived significant differences between dentists and auxiliaries for cavity preparation, favoring dentists.
• Attitudes were more positive toward restoration placement, with fewer perceived differences.
• Radiograph taking was viewed most positively, with no perceived difference between operators.
• Dentists perceived the greatest operator differences; dental hygienists perceived the least.
• Consumers were least positive overall and focused more on the procedure than the operator.

Conclusions:

• Attitudes toward EDAs vary significantly among different dental stakeholder groups.
• Consumers prioritize the dental procedure itself over the operator, while dentists emphasize the operator.
• Dental hygienists and students show greater acceptance and perceive fewer differences when EDAs perform procedures.